Online Medical Platform American Well - Assignment Example

American Well is an online medical platform designed to help patients access medical services online. Though the founders Ido and Roy have plans to roll the platform to other fields such as law, currently it solely dedicates its services to the medical field. In this paper, some of the advantages and disadvantages that this platform brings to patients, physicians, and insurance companies will be reviewed.

Advantages and disadvantages to patients

Also, a patient can choose a physician of their liking in a quick fashion (Internet health care, 2). Apart from physicians and specialists, patients can access the services of pharmacists and NPs. The biggest disadvantage of using this platform is that often the doctor will be communicating with the patient via phone or chat and may not obtain all the facts. The result can be offering advice or an erroneous prescription. Also, the ease with which patient access drugs may not be safe for them since they may omit some information either knowingly or unknowingly.

Advantages and disadvantages to physicians
Physicians would have preliminary information before they finally meet their patients. This generally means a lot of time being saved hence the physician could attend to more patients. With this system, patient visits are expedited hence improving hospital efficiency. Physicians who are in low-demand geographical areas can work with patients elsewhere (Putnam, 34). What this means is more work for them hence better pay. On the downside, data that the physician accesses about a patient may be erroneous because of editing of the same by unreliable persons. This can present serious legal and health issues.

Advantages and disadvantages to insurance companies
Insurance companies can improve their reputation by having such a service. Overall, people are distrustful of insurance companies (Kabbes, 21). By providing a service that is cheap and reliable, some form of goodwill is developed between the insurer and the public. Also, insurance firms can align their financials with those of physicians. The results would be better margins for the insurance company.